 Definition  Field Listing  Rank
Order
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Background: |
After almost four decades under US administration
as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific
Islands, the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a
Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a
result of US nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and
1962. The Marshall Islands have been home to the US Army Base
Kwajalein (USAKA) since 1964. Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Location: |
Oceania,
group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half
of the way from Hawaii to Australia |
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Geographic coordinates: |
9 00 N, 168
00 E |
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Map references: |
Oceania
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Area: |
total:
181.3 sq km
land: 181.3 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein,
Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik |
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Area - comparative: |
about the
size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries: |
0 km |
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Coastline: |
370.4 km
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Climate: |
tropical;
hot and humid; wet season from May to November; islands border
typhoon belt |
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Terrain: |
low coral
limestone and sand islands |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest
point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed
location on Likiep 10 m |
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Natural resources: |
coconut
products, marine products, deep seabed minerals |
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Land use: |
arable
land: 16.67%
permanent crops: 38.89%
other: 44.44% (2001) |
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Irrigated land: |
0 sq km
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Natural hazards: |
infrequent
typhoons |
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Environment - current issues: |
inadequate
supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household
waste and discharges from fishing vessels |
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Environment - international agreements: |
party
to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none
of the selected agreements |
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Geography - note: |
two
archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands; Bikini
and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the famous
World War II battleground, is now used as a US missile test range
Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Population: |
57,738 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure: |
0-14
years: 38.6% (male 11,347; female 10,934)
15-64
years: 58.7% (male 17,380; female 16,520)
65 years and
over: 2.7% (male 748; female 809) (2004 est.) |
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Median age: |
total: 19.6 years
male: 19.6 years
female: 19.6 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate: |
2.29% (2004
est.) |
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Birth rate: |
33.88
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate: |
4.94
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
-6.04
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio: |
at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04
male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65
years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population:
1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate: |
total:
30.5 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 34.19 deaths/1,000
live births
female: 26.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 69.7 years
male: 67.77 years
female: 71.73 years (2004 est.) |
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Total fertility rate: |
4.02 children
born/woman (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
NA |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
NA |
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Nationality: |
noun:
Marshallese (singular and plural)
adjective: Marshallese
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Ethnic groups: |
Micronesian
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Religions: |
Christian
(mostly Protestant) |
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Languages: |
English
(widely spoken as a second language, both English and Marshallese
are official languages), two major Marshallese dialects from the
Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.7%
male: 93.6%
female: 93.7% (1999) Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Country name: |
conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands
conventional short form: Marshall Islands
former: Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the
Pacific Islands) |
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Government type: |
constitutional government in free association with the US; the
Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986
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Capital: |
Majuro
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Administrative divisions: |
33
municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk, Arno, Aur, Bikar,
Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat, Jaluit, Jemo, Kili,
Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap, Mejit, Mili, Namorik,
Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang, Utirik, Wotho, Wotje
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Independence: |
21 October
1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship) |
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National holiday: |
Constitution
Day, 1 May (1979) |
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Constitution: |
1 May 1979
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Legal system: |
based on
adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal,
common, and customary laws |
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Suffrage: |
18 years of
age; universal |
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Executive branch: |
chief of
state: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5
January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the
president from among the members of Parliament
elections:
president elected by Parliament from among its own members for a
four-year term; election last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held
NA November 2007)
election results: Kessai Hesa NOTE
elected president; percent of Parliament vote - 100% |
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Legislative branch: |
unicameral
Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 November
2003 (next to be held not later than November 2007)
election
results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
note: the Council of Chiefs is a 12-member body that
advises on matters affecting customary law and practice |
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Judicial branch: |
Supreme
Court; High Court |
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Political parties and leaders: |
traditionally there have been no formally organized political
parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions or
interest groups because they do not have party headquarters, formal
platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings" have
competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Kabua Party
[Imata KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
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International organization participation: |
ACP, AsDB,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
ITU, OPCW (signatory), PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM
chancery: 2433
Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 234-5414
FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236
consulate(s) general: Honolulu |
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Michael J. SENKO
embassy:
Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro
mailing
address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall
Islands 96960-1379
telephone: [692] 247-4011
FAX: [692] 247-4012 |
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Flag description: |
blue with
two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner - orange
(top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays and 20
small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Economy - overview: |
US
Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island economy.
Agricultural production is primarily subsistence and is concentrated
on small farms; the most important commercial crops are coconuts and
breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, tuna
processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a small source of
foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the labor force, remains
the best hope for future added income. The islands have few natural
resources, and imports far exceed exports. Under the terms of the
Compact of Free Association, the US has provided more than $1
billion in aid since 1986. Negotiations have continued for an
extended agreement. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in
construction, the decline in tourism and foreign investment due to
the Asian financial difficulties, and less income from the renewal
of fishing vessel licenses have held GDP growth to an average of 1%
over the past decade. |
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GDP: |
purchasing
power parity - $115 million (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate: |
1% (2001
est.) |
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GDP - per capita: |
purchasing
power parity - $1,600 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 14%
industry: 16%
services: 70% (2000 est.) |
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Population below poverty line: |
NA |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest
10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
2% (2001
est.) |
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Labor force: |
28,700 (1996
est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture
21.4%, industry 20.9%, services 57.7% |
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Unemployment rate: |
30.9% (1999
est.) |
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Budget: |
revenues: $42 million
expenditures: $40
million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999) |
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Agriculture - products: |
coconuts,
tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens |
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Industries: |
copra, fish,
tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls |
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Industrial production growth rate: |
NA |
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Exports: |
$9 million
f.o.b. (2000) |
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Exports - commodities: |
copra cake,
coconut oil, handicrafts, fish |
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Exports - partners: |
US, Japan,
Australia, China (2000) |
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Imports: |
$54 million
f.o.b. (2000) |
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Imports - commodities: |
foodstuffs,
machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco |
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Imports - partners: |
US, Japan,
Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China, Philippines (2000) |
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Debt - external: |
$86.5 million
(FY99/00 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient: |
more than $1
billion from the US, 1986-2002 |
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Currency: |
US dollar
(USD) |
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Currency code: |
USD |
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Exchange rates: |
the US
dollar is the legal tender |
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Fiscal year: |
1 October -
30 September Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
4,500 (2003)
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
600 (2002)
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Telephone system: |
general
assessment: digital switching equipment; modern services include
telex, cellular, internet, international calling, caller ID, and
leased data circuits
domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and
Kwajalein islands have regular, seven-digit, direct-dial telephones;
other islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used
mostly for government purposes)
international: country
code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean);
US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein (2001)
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 2, FM 1,
shortwave 0
note: additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio
and Television Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and
one AM station on Kwajalein (2002) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
2 (both are
US military stations) (2002) |
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Internet country code: |
.mh |
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Internet hosts: |
6 (2003)
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Internet users: |
1,400 (2003)
Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Highways: |
total:
NA km
paved: 64.5 km
unpaved: NA km
note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein),
otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks
(2002) |
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Ports and harbors: |
Majuro
|
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Merchant marine: |
total: 420 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,954,092
GRT/28,176,762 DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 81,
cargo 25, chemical tanker 41, combination bulk 4, combination
ore/oil 7, container 77, liquefied gas 9, multi-functional large
load carrier 5, passenger 6, petroleum tanker 149, refrigerated
cargo 4, roll on/roll off 7, vehicle carrier 4
foreign-owned: Australia 2, Chile 3, Croatia 2, Cyprus
10, Denmark 2, Germany 119, Greece 82, Hong Kong 12, India 2, Japan
16, Monaco 18, Netherlands 6, New Zealand 1, Norway 5, Poland 11,
Singapore 1, Slovenia 1, Switzerland 4, Thailand 2, Turkey 8, United
Kingdom 10, United States 92
registered in other
countries: 50 (2003 est.) |
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Airports: |
15 (2003
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to
1,523 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914
m: 1 (2003 est.) Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Disputes - international: |
claims US
territory of Wake Island |
Large portions of this information is from the US government open source publication "The World Factbook", other content copyright © Stratus-Pikpuk, Inc. You may use this information without permission for educational or other non-profit purposes if you refer to us as the source, contact us if you want to use this commercially.
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